Belief-Based Food Products

Did you know that many food companies we take for granted were founded by people with ideological faith-based perspectives? Sometimes the owners of the food companies simply wished to convey a symbolic message associated with a particular religious group such as simplicity, integrity and honesty. The food product may have grown out of a particular religious group's need for a faith-based product. Some entrepreneurs have even used the money from the sales of their products to promote certain faith-based political agendas or advertising to change popular culture. Here are four to ponder:

QUAKER OATS (Society of Friends)

Founded in 1901 by Henry Seymour and William Heston of Ravenna, Ohio, legend has it that William Heston, a descendent of Quakers was impressed by an illustration of William Penn, the Pioneer Quaker and father of Equal Rights and egalitarianism. Along with John Stuart of Iowa, and a German immigrant Ferdinand Schumacher of Akron, Ohio, the Quaker Oats Company came into existence. They were one of the first companies to include premiums packaged inside the boxes such as china dishes. The Quakers (Society of Friends) did not take lightly to the company using their organizational likeness to promote products, especially when Quaker introduced advertising for kids using Popeye hitting on Bluto. The Quakers sued on the grounds that Popeye is contrary to their pacifist message of non-violence. The company was sold in 2001 to PepsiCo and continues to enjoy success in part because of the oatmeal company's claim to lower cholesterol. www.quakeroats.com

HEBREW NATIONAL (Jewish)

Founded in 1905 in an upstairs apartment building on East Broadway in New York, this tasty hot dog company arose from the need for Eastern European and German immigrants, primarily of Jewish faith, to enjoy high quality kosher meats. The founder, a Romanian butcher named Isadore Pinckowitz (Pines) first sold the meats from the back of a wagon and later to the large grocery chain Waldbaums. The company adopted it's famous slogan, "We Answer To A Higher Authority" - meaning God - back in 1965 which emphasizes the preparation of the foods in a certain way to meet the dietary needs of those of the Orthodox Jewish faith. The company has moved from Queens to Bronx and in 1976 the company was sold to Colgate/Palmolive. It was bought back by Isadore's son, Leonard, for a short time in 1985, but is now run by ConAgra Foods@ which bought the company in 1993. www.hebrewnational.com

DOMINO's PIZZA (Catholic)

Founded in 1960 by Tom Monoghan, who spent time in and out of Michigan orphanages as a youth, the owner (not the company) has always used its tremendous resources to fund Catholic religious causes. Tom's brother Jim sold his share in the company to Tom for the value of an old Volkswagon. Contrary to popular belief, Domino's did not fund "Operation Rescue," but the pizza company was boycotted anyway by the National Organization for Women for the owner's anti-abortion stance and contributions to Catholic causes. Monoghan sold the company in 1998 to Bain Capital, and has since invested in Ave Maria, a Catholic private college, and the Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. www.dominos.com

CARL JR's. HAMBURGERS (Unspecified)

Founded in 1941 by Carl Karcher in Anaheim, California, this hamburger giant has caused quite a stir with his controversial television commercials. In November of 2003, the ads showed Hugh Hefner, "Playboy" founder, joking about his indecision due to the "variety" of the products. Then again in May of 2005, he incited the many Conservative faith-based family groups by displaying Paris Hilton in provocative, sexual car wash ads. The company's use of the anti-social campaign slogan, "Don't Bother Me, I'm Eating," while gluttonous models chow down with their mouths open also did not sit well with those who work with various youth groups campaigning against obesity. www.carlsjr.com